Students find tablets helpful for stepwise math learning but mixed overall
Student Perceptions of Tablet-Based Teaching and Learning in TNE Undergraduate Mathematics
Computers and Society
Summary
Tablet use in university math classes can help students follow steps and stay engaged by letting teachers write and highlight in real time. The authors surveyed a small group of students studying abroad who used tablets, finding that many liked these features for understanding procedures. However, students were less sure if tablets helped with long-term memory, interest in math, or if they preferred this method over others. This suggests tablets are useful tools but don’t clearly improve all parts of learning for everyone.
What this means in practice
- •For instructional designers: Design lecture formats that incorporate tablet-based annotation to support step-by-step comprehension of math procedures in international programs.
- •For education technology developers: Create or improve tablet apps focused on real-time note-taking and visual cues to enhance active engagement during math lectures.
Tested on one dataset.
Authors
Dimitrios Chiotis
Abstract
Tablet-based teaching and learning has become increasingly common in university mathematics courses, offering capabilities such as digital ink, dynamic visualisation, and real-time annotation. However, there is limited experiential evidence regarding how students perceive the specific benefits and drawbacks of tablet-supported teaching and learning, particularly in Transnational Education (TNE) settings. This paper presents results from a small-scale exploratory survey of undergraduate students ($n = 19$) attending mathematics courses within an applied sciences degree programme, who anonymously rated a set of statements regarding their experiences with tablet-based instruction on a five-point Likert scale. Initial analysis shows that students in this cohort perceived tablet teaching most positively in supporting step-by-step understanding and active engagement during lectures through real-time annotation and structured note-taking. In contrast, perceptions related to long-term recall, interest in mathematics, and preference over alternative teaching methods were more mixed. These findings suggest that students in this cohort perceived tablet-based teaching positively for supporting procedural understanding, while perceptions of other aspects of learning appeared more varied.